Mather Tower

The Mather Tower, now commonly known by its address, 75 East Wacker Drive, is a striking Art Deco skyscraper in the heart of Chicago. It was built between 1926 and 1928 and stands on the south bank of the Chicago River, directly across from the Trump International Hotel. The building was the brainchild of Alonzo Clark Mather, a successful businessman who had made his fortune manufacturing innovative livestock cars for railroads. Mather originally planned two identical high-rises to be connected by an arcade. But the Great Depression of 1929 put an end to the construction of the second building. After Mather's death, the building was auctioned off in 1945 and renamed the Lincoln Tower, a name that probably referred to the slender stature of the former U.S. president Abraham Lincoln.

Architecturally, the tower stands out for its white terra-cotta facade and its distinctive shape. The building consists of a parallelogram-shaped base with 24 floors and an octagonal tower rising above it that tapers sharply toward the top. This design was dictated by the building codes of the time, which limited the footprint of towers above a certain height. The facade is adorned with decorative elements on the lower floors and at the setbacks, while the interior of the lobby is designed in the neoclassical style, with marble, bronze, and terra-cotta. A special feature is the domed spire, which was replaced by a new aluminum-clad replica after it fell into disrepair in the 2000s.

After a period of decay, during which parts of the facade had to be secured, the tower underwent a comprehensive renovation starting in 2000. The project was supported by city funding and required the faithful preservation of the facade and the entrance area. The new tower dome was installed in spectacular fashion by helicopter. Today, the landmarked building houses a restaurant on the ground floor, while the upper floors are used as a hotel. The Mather Tower is part of the Michigan-Wacker Historic District and received a national award for its successful restoration.